Since the Beginning
by MugiwaraMarimo
Summary: 100 followers on Tumblr fic. Merry wanted porn, but my brain had other ideas.


Despite how he may act, Sanji had known for a very long time he wasn't truly sexually attracted to women. Yes, he loved everything about them, worshiped the very ground they walked on, treated them with the utmost respect,well in his mind anyways, and catered to their every whim; but he knew deep down, he would never be able to handle a real relationship with a female.

That's why living on the Baratie was easy. He could flourish and swoon over all the female customers, yet at the end of the day, he could lock himself in his room and not bother thinking about a relationship. No women to stress his nerves and he was by far the youngest of the sea going chefs, so anything having to do with actual relationships were out of the question. Besides...uh, hell no.

Of course he would partake in the conversations. Would sit and rate the lovely girls sitting at the dinning room tables through the kitchen windows with Patty, Carne and the rest of them; it was easier that way. So when the gasp escaped him when his would be crew walked in, Carne elbowing him in the side at how attractive dear Nami-swam looked, no one was the wiser that he was biting his lip at Roronoa Zoro instead.

Next thing he knew, Sanji was the chef of the Going Merry, a small little ship just right for the five of them and when they all cracked that barrel, calling out their dreams to the raging storm, the blond's heart actually skipped a beat as the swordsman to his left spoke his. All the while, he simply grew more attracted to the other pirate.

They fought, they argued, they exchanged surmountable blows both physically and mentally on a daily basis, but...And there was always a but, they were able to cooperate. Even if just a little. Sanji would never speak of it out loud, but when they worked together, it set a whole new type of fire coursing through his veins. When it came right down to it, when their nakama were truly in trouble, Sanji could rely on Zoro and Zoro could rely on Sanji. And Monkey D. Luffy could rely on them both.

There was only one major thing that bothered Sanji about life aboard the Strawhat ship...okay, there were a lot of things, but only one thing that really truly bothered the shit talking blond. He wasn't sure how to approach the stoic swordsman when it came to how he felt. At first he had passed it off as a fleeting crush, everyone was attracted to good looks after all, but as time forged ahead, it didn't waver. As Vivi came and went, as Chopper once again patched them up and as Robin proved to truly be a valuable part of the team, his attraction to Zoro grew.

Sitting in the galley one day, Sanji could hear the crew outside. Nami was talking to Robin and Luffy about how long it would take to get to Water Seven, while he could hear Chopper and Usopp talking about herbs while fishing. It was the deep grunt from Zoro and the call of getting a drink that had him stabbing out his smoke and jumping to his feet.

"Hey cook," Zoro snapped as he barged into the small kitchen, the door slamming shut behind him. Sanji swallowed the lump in his throat, trying hard to not spend too long lingering on one part or another of Zoro's body as his eyes trailed up from his feet, over his pants and ever present haramaki, to his broad chest and shoulders, tanned arms folded across it and finally settling on his dark piercing eyes as the other man raised an eyebrow at him. "Sulking?"

"Thinking about dinner, shit head." With a flip of his hand, Sanji turned, gripping tighter than he should have at the sink and trying to calm his racing heart. Why Zoro affected him like this and why he just couldn't grow the balls to _do_ something about it was beyond him. "What do you want?"

The thunk of his boots as he moved across the room sounded deafening loud to Sanji, so loud that when a hand landed on his shoulder, spinning him, he let out a small yelp. Zoro smirked right back at him, feral grin on chapped lips. "Came to get a drink. Why are you so jumpy?"

"No reason," he shrugged the man's hand off, stepping aside slightly. The scent hit him then, and normally he would have wrinkled his nose at it, but there was something in the way the swordsman's sweat mingled with the salt air just right...Sanji's mouth began to water.

"Ya know," The man turned with his glass in hand, leaning back against the sink and crossing his legs at the ankles. "You think your stealthy, but you're not."

"What are you talking about?" The blond pulled a cigarette from his pocket, chomping down on the butt and snatching his lighter from his pocket.

"I see you." Zoro was looking straight ahead as he spoke, the glass set just in front of his mouth and Sanji could actually see the water ripple from the vibration of his words before he took a drink and lowered the glass. "Watching."

"I have no idea what you are talking about moss head." Rolling his eyes, Sanji tried to hide the slight shake in his voice. He puffed at his cigarette, pulling it from his mouth and turning to face the green haired man.

He shrugged, draining the rest of his glass and setting it in the sink. "Your loss cook."

Sanji was quiet a moment, the only sound once again, those damned boots thunking across his kitchen floor. "My loss? Zoro wait!" He jumped forwards, grasping at the man's upper arm, feeling the heat, sweat and taunt muscle there under his nimble fingers. "What do you mean?"

Silence stole over them again before Zoro sighed, running a hand through his hair and flicking the lock on the door. "You think you're the only one who's attracted to members of this crew dart brow?"

"Well...I...no." Dropping his shoulders, he let go of the other man's arm, setting his smoke against his lip once more. "But..." The words trailed off as Zoro turned, his dark eyes pinning Sanji to his place in the middle of the galley floor, cigarette dangling dangerously at the edge of his lip.

"Neither have you," The swordsman said, reaching up to pull the butt away and replacing it with his mouth. Sanji stood wide eyed, staring at the closed lids of the first mate, feeling the rough texture of his lips over his own, blinking stupidly when the other man pulled back slightly. "Oi," he spoke breathlessly, his words only loud enough for the two of them to hear, locked in the galley. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

Things seemed to catch up to him then and with a sharp nod, Sanji brought their mouths together again, crashing hard against the swordsman and snapping his hands up into the short damp hair. Zoro tugged on his suit jacket, wrapping his hands in the lapels and pulling their chests together. Through the thin fabric he could feel the moss head's heart beating just as fast as his, the heat rolling off of him in glorious waves that just enticed Sanji forwards. Licking at his frayed nerves on the matter and crushing him under the forceful power as he gave in to it.

Then the struggle began. Like everything the two men did, they fought back and forth, twisting and turning their heads in an attempt to consume one another, to edge that slight bit closer. Sanji growled and Zoro bit at his lip, sharp teeth sinking into the flesh easily. The cook pulled away at that, but only for a second, eyes darting about the tanned face, catching the glint in the murderous eyes, before meeting again, grip tightening in the green hair. He forced his way into Zoro's mouth, biting back and flicking his tongue against his teeth till he opened his mouth. Zoro didn't bend or break easily, curling his tongue around the blond's, displaying exactly how he could talk with that damned sword in his mouth. Sanji felt his entire body shiver at that and he groaned, eyes rolling back in his head as they closed.

Zoro chuckled, sucking hard as the blond melted in his arms and next thing Sanji knew he's looking up to the swordsman from the floor of the galley as the man fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. The moss head's knees were on either side of his waist and a quick change of focus clearly showed Sanji that the broader man was enjoying this just as much as the blond was. Blood traveled south faster at the knowledge and suddenly Sanji felt light headed, closing his eyes again and letting his head hit the worn galley floor boards.

"How'd that feel stupid?" The laughter in his voice was so rare that Sanji can't help but smile at it, grinning like a fool up to the scowl that met him as he opened his eyes.

"Fuck off."

"I'm trying." With a frown, the man shifted his hands, gripping the shirt and pulling, popping buttons that went skittering across the floor. "There."

"My shirt! You bastard!" The blond snapped, leaning up on his elbows as the moss head bent forwards, mouth meeting his chest in an open kiss and halting all Sanji's movements. The swordsman grasped his shoulder, pushing him back against the floor again as he trailed his way down the cook's chest, tongue swirling over the dips and curves of his abs as he did so, pausing only long enough to undo his belt.

"You wear too many clothes." Zoro said pointedly, sitting back on his heels to remove his own shirt before arcing his body forwards again. Sanji watched through lidded eyes, breath coming out in pants at the sight of the muscles working under sweat stained skin. They rippled and flexed with each movement serving to only drive Sanji's lust further. His brain actually misfired, the words dying on his lips as he heard his zipper and felt the pop of his pants button.

To say Zoro's hands were warm would be an understatement. Every touch lit his skin on fire, every rough calloused slide of his palms as the man moved towards his hips, working the fabric down over them and off his ass searing into his sense memory. Sanji knew he would never forget that touch, if this never happened again, he would always have that feeling to recall.

The cool air that hit him fell away as those hands moved back up his thighs and around to just above the curve of his ass, fingers digging into the small of his back as thumbs pressed into his hip bones. Zoro's mouth never stopped moving either, licking a damp trail down the thin dusting of hair from his naval to his groin, nosing into the thicker blond curls at the base of his throbbing cock.

His breath hot and steamy so close to his flesh as the swordsman panted himself, swallowing once and tilting his head to the side slightly so his breath was exhaled against the blond's length. Sanji shuddered again, rocking his hips up against the iron grip Zoro had on them, blunt nails clawing at the floor boards. "Look at you," the words weren't mocking, but held a certain tone that Sanji didn't recognize. There was a want there as well, he could hear it in the husky tone and the way Zoro was looking up at him, eyes narrowed from the angle. "Do you want me to?"

Sanji bit into his lip again, reviving the dulling pain that lingered from Zoro's earlier bite, nodding his head and not trusting himself to speak. Santoryu popped into his head as the swordsman gave him a lopsided smirk, tongue darting out to lick at his head. One hand drifted across his skin, dragging short nails until it wrapped around the base of his erection, holding him as the marimo pressed the flat of his tongue fully against the head.

The blond groaned through his lip, eyes closing and he moved his hands to Zoro's shoulders, running long fingers up the man's neck, dragging them through his hair and tightening his grip near the top of his head. The broader man never flinched in the slightest at the hold, letting Sanji grasp onto him as he dipped his head, taking more of the blond's length into his mouth easily.

"Sanji," the word was growled out and Sanji blinked at he was flicked in the forehead. "I said move dartboard. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

The cook blinked again, gazing into the hard cold glare of Roronoa Zoro and stepped aside with a frown. Grabbing a glass, the swordsman ignored him as he took a deep breath and sighed, gulping down the water and setting the glass in the sink. "I think your poor stupid brain got a little fried back in Alabasta if you ask me shit cook."

"No one did useless swordsman!" He snapped, watching the other man move towards the door, feet thunking loudly across the boards. He paused at the door, hand grasping the handle as he looked over his shoulder to Sanji. "What?" He barked, crossing his arms, matching Zoro's glare with his own.

"Luffy's getting hungry." And with a shrug, the swordsman walked out.

The rest of their adventure swung by in a flash, and before Sanji knew which way was up, he and Zoro were facing off with Kuma, the bizarre warlord on Thriller Bark. The pain exploding in his side and the large bruise that would form both grim reminders that he still wasn't as strong as he wanted to be, needed to be or ever likely would be to even get a sparing glance from the man whom he was falling for. Zoro had simply pushed him aside, deemed him unworthy of the sacrifice and taken everything on himself.

The pain and fear that crashed into him when he found the first mate, blood covering the ground and the glazed expression in his eyes gripped at Sanji till he woke up all that time later. The blond was sure he had never smoked so many cigarettes so fast in his life, gaining raised eyebrows from Robin and cute murderous glares from the tiny reindeer. When they left and things slowly began to fall back into what they called normal, Sanji was relieved and felt like such a weight had fallen off his shoulders, yet he still couldn't bring himself to tell the swordsman how he felt.

Not that he really ever got the chance. Sabaody had been awful and the bottom dropping fear of seeing Kuma again took forefront as they all desperately tried to defeat him and save the swordsman from the inevitable. The rage that gripped him is what sprung Sanji into action, caused him to face off again with the large devil fruit user, but to what end? It wouldn't have brought Zoro back, he knew that now.

Knew that after two long years apart he was finally going to see that man again and know if he still loved him or not. And like usual, every feeling Sanji had got pushed down and swallowed up by the gnawing urge to see some real females. Two years trapped on that island had taught him a lot, but he was so glad to be away from it all! To be near a true woman and it bowled over every other thought like a thick cloud of heavy rain, trapping his true intentions under a torrential downpour of crazed and mixed emotions.

The thrill that had been Fishman Island had almost killed him and while he didn't regret it, it nagged at the back of his brain that it was stupid and he needed to get a handle on himself. And, of course, in typical Strawhat style this delved right into the island of Punk Hazard where Zoro went off with his captain, he got his heart ripped out by Trafalgar Law, literally, and G5 showed up. All in a day's typical rampage for them. Things were back to normal. Even after two years apart, nothing seemed to have changed in the slightest. Not the crew, not their crazy adventures, not Zoro. And most certainly not Sanji's feelings for him.

"Hey, cook," Sanji glanced over his shoulder from where he was leaning on the back rail of the ship. Meal time over and most of the chaos being contained to the grass deck, the blond chef was taking the few minutes he needed for a long deserved smoke and enjoying every killing lungful. Dealing with the crew was hard, even harder when your captain was Strawhat Luffy, then add Warlord Trafalgar Law and some crazy samurai to the mix? He sucked in another lungful happily. "Whatcha doing back here?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full asshole," He frowned, taking another drag off his cigarette and glancing over as the swordsman leaned on the rail, rudely taking another bite of the apple he had. "Where did you get that?"

"Stole it earlier when you weren't looking." He grinned as he chewed, taking another large bite and casually tossing the core over his shoulder out into the open water. Sanji watched it's arc before it hit with a small splash, a fish almost instantly reaching up to snap it down. "Thought you would be out here."

"What do you want?" Sanji hissed, flicking his butt over the edge and standing to face the other man. "Can't even get five minutes for a cigarette anymore."

"Oi!" Zoro frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I came to talk; if you'll listen shit cook." The last part was almost mumbled and Sanji narrowed his eyes at the moss head but didn't speak. The older pirate scratched at the back of his neck, dropping his gaze to his crossed feet and took a deep breath. "While we were apart, Perona and I..."

Sanji already knew he didn't want to hear anymore. Could already feel his heart being ripped out of his chest and he couldn't take it. He didn't want to hear Zoro start talking about a relationship with the ghost girl. Didn't want to know the details or to be on the look out for the love letters the News Coos were sure to be bringing. He growled and Zoro jerked his eye up to Sanji, furrowing his brows in slight confusion. "Just stop," Sanji found himself saying quietly.

"You don't even know what I am going to say cook, just listen. Perona and I, we did a lot of talking," He continued, smiling slightly and shaking his head. "It was just the three of us and when he wasn't kicking my ass, Mihawk wasn't around. Not that he was really a conversationalist to begin with."

"Big word for a dim witted moss," The cook snapped, gaining another frown from Zoro.

The two fell quiet then, as if Zoro was trying to figure out exactly what words he wanted to say next. Part of Sanji wanted to turn and walk away, he almost did, but he held back, waiting and chewing at his lip while the swordsman collected himself. "She's not that bad, ya know. Yeah, she pulled some shit on Thriller Bark, but in the end, I will kinda miss her."

The pit his heart had started to claw its way out of came back as it was dragged back into it and Sanji slumped back against the rail, glaring off at the water. "Why are you telling me this? You will miss your girlfriend, I get it."

Zoro started laughing, the sound echoing out around the open water as it bounced off the side of the ship. "You're an idiot. That's not it at all. She called it demisexual." It was Sanji's turn to laugh and Zoro smacked him in the shoulder with the back of his hand. "I'm being serious fucker. Just cut the shit and for once in your miserable existence be quiet."

"So what's it mean, oh mighty learned moss."

"Che..." Rolling his one good eye, the swordsman's hand went to his swords and he glowered at Sanji for a moment, searching his face before opening his mouth to speak once again. "It means only being sexually attracted to someone once you have formed a strong bond with them."

"So, let me guess, after spending the two years with her and now that you are apart, you realize you're attracted to her? Well go on then, I'm sure Luffy won't miss your lazy ass if you run off to the Ghost Princess."

"Are you being this much of a dick for a reason? Or just cause you can be?" Crossing his arms, Zoro moved in front of the blond, effectively blocking him against the the rail without even touching him. "Ya know what, dip shit, I really don't even know why I try to talk to you sometimes. Here I am attempting to be an adult, to prove that I have done some growing up the last two years and you are being just as stubborn, foolish and pigheaded as you were then. Yeah, I get you lived in a shit storm for two years, don't you think we all did? Have you even once given thought to the fact that others on this crew worked just as hard, struggled just as much to be here where they are now?"

Sanji didn't answer, dropping his gaze to the fingers tapping against the hilts of the moss head's weapons. He hadn't, not really. It had crossed his mind, knew damned well they had all struggled to get stronger for their captain, but Sanji hadn't really truly thought about what that meant. "Yeah, I thought you hadn't," Zoro spoke again, voice hard with that slight command he carried when having to put Luffy back in line. "And until you do; this isn't going to work."

"What isn't?" Sanji muttered, reaching for a new cigarette and trying to bore a hole into the black hilt at the first mate's side. He actually jumped when Zoro's hand hit his, fingers wrapping around his wrist and halting his movements. The blond flicked his eyes up, lowering his eyebrows and shifting his weight in preparation for a fight.

The swordsman wasn't looking for a fight though. Something Sanji couldn't read flashed across that dark remaining eye before he leaned forwards and pressed his lips to the blond's. It was all Sanji had ever imagined and more. The scrap of his chapped lips moving over his own, the scent of the ocean mixed with his sweat, the taste of steel and sake. All of it was there and the cook froze to the spot as Zoro pulled away just enough to rest his forehead against his own. "She figured it out you dumb cook."

Then he was gone, the warmth of his hand lingering on Sanji's thin wrist. The feeling of his mouth against his own as the blond's fingers came up to run over his bottom lip, cigarette forgotten. He watched him go, Zoro's boots thunking off down the stairs towards the lawn deck without looking back.

Sanji stood there for a minute, looking at the empty space where Zoro had rounded the corner, trying to process just exactly what had happened. He had to be dreaming again, as he had so many times before. There was no way that bastard actually felt the same way as he did, but...Had what Perona told Zoro and thus him be really true?

Darting around the corner and down the stairs, Sanji stopped short as seeing the group of people still on the lawn deck. Zoro was not one of them though and he automatically flicked his eyes to the crows nest, anxiety gripping his chest when he saw the lights on up there. Did Zoro have watch tonight? Would it be awkward if he went up there? He wracked his brain trying to remember the patterns from before. No, it wouldn't be strange if he brought a snack up to the person on watch, even though Zoro had just eaten an apple.

Finally lighting a smoke, the blond ducked into the kitchen, threw together a quick plate and made his way towards the rigging and the crows nest. "What are you saying?" Sanji snapped as he topped the ladder and kicked the hatch closed behind him.

Zoro never even moved from his position on the bench, arms crossed behind his head and eyes closed. "I'm saying," he started, knowing damn well where the blond was headed with this conversation and for once not wanting to beat around the bush so to speak. "That you are being in immature little fuck."

"I'm not the one playing games here Zoro." He heard his voice echoing off the walls of the room.

"No!?" He sat up at that, turning and barking out the word. "I finally figure it out. Finally realize what the fuck has been gnawing at me the last two years, come to you with it and this is how you react?! Fuck cook, you're not very discrete about any of it. Hell, I'm pretty sure the whole crew knew before we split up!"

"You...you all knew?" Dropping his voice to just above a whisper, he heard the swordsman grunt a yes and take a deep breath. "If you felt the same why didn't you say anything before?"

"Cause I didn't know that's what it was!" Both his hands ripped into the short hair and Zoro leaned forwards against his knees, dropping his head into his hands. "You piss me off. Always arguing with me, being a stuck up prick and after a while it even got a tad annoying to know you were gawking all the time."

"I wasn't..."

"Yeah, you were cook. All the time." With a frown, the moss head looked up to Sanji from his place across the room. "Then when we were talking one day, it just kinda came out." He shrugged as he spoke, the motion not even pausing him in his words. "I missed all of you, don't get me wrong, but you I missed more. I didn't know why at first, couldn't figure out how the most annoying of us could be the one I wanted to see so badly."

"Oi!"

"Face it dart brow, you're the annoying one." He stood then, moving across the room towards Sanji, speaking the whole time. Zoro rested one hand on his sword hilts again, gripping at the hilt of the white one, his most prized of the three. "I have spent the last year and a half wrestling with this idea, trying to talk myself out of it. That she was wrong, that it was a complete mistake. But,"

"And there is always a but," Sanji said quietly, frowning as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, moving his fingers under the tray he was still holding.

"Yes," The first mate nodded. "But the second we met up on Sadaody, I knew she had been right."

"I can't promise you anything, cook," He continued, not even giving the blond a chance to speak, not that Sanji really had anything to say as he gawked wide eyed at the swordsman. "And if you get in my way I will fucking slice your scrawny ass in two, but if you're still wanting it, I'm willing to give it a try."

Sanji was quiet, swallowing once and nodding his head slightly as he bent to place the tray on the floor carefully. Standing back up, a whirlwind of emotions flying through his head at this new revelation, he nodded again, raising one hand and holding it out towards Zoro, fingers splayed. He was actually kinda surprised when Zoro took it, lacing their fingers together and dropping it to their sides as they stood quietly in the open air of the crows nest. "Okay," he finally said, voice sounding much weaker to his own ears than he would have liked. "Okay."


End file.
